Display device

Abstract

Provided is a display device characterized in that a display area can be prevented from appearing darker when the position of light-shielding sections are moved, while the control of voltages applied to electrodes is simplified. In the case where electrodes to which a specific voltage is applied are changed from a first electrode group (e.g., 52 a ) to a second electrode group (e.g., 52 b , 58 a , 58 b ), the voltage applied to the first electrode group is switched from the specific voltage to a reference voltage first, and thereafter, the voltage applied to the second electrode group is switched from the reference voltage to the specific voltage.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A display device comprising:
 a display unit that displays a synthetic image, the synthetic image being formed by dividing a plurality of images that are different from one another, and arraying these division images in a predetermined order; and 
 an image separation unit that separates the plurality of images included in the synthetic image, 
 wherein the image separation unit includes: 
 a pair of substrates at least one of which has two types of electrode groups formed thereon, a reference voltage and a specific voltage different from the reference voltage being selectively applied to the two types of electrode groups; 
 a liquid crystal layer sealed between the pair of substrates; 
 a detection unit that detects a viewer's eye position; and 
 a control unit that applies the specific voltage to one electrode groups that is selected from the electrode groups according to the viewer's eye position detected by the detection unit, so as to cause orientations of liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer to change, thereby to realize light-shielding sections that block light, 
 wherein the electrode groups include a plurality of electrodes that are parallel to each other, 
 on the substrate on which the two types of electrode groups are formed, out of the pair of substrates, the electrodes belonging to one of the two types of electrode groups and the electrodes belonging to the other electrode group are alternately arranged, and 
 in the case where electrodes to which the specific voltage is applied are changed from a first electrode group to a second electrode group, the control unit switches the voltage applied to the first electrode group from the specific voltage to the reference voltage, and thereafter, switches the voltage applied to the second electrode group from the reference voltage to the specific voltage. 
 
     
     
       2. The display device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the two types of electrode groups are formed on each of the pair of substrates, 
 the electrodes belonging to the electrode group formed on one of the pair of substrates extend in the same direction as that of the electrodes belonging to the electrodes group formed on another one of the pair of substrates, and 
 each of the electrodes belonging to the electrode groups formed on one of the substrates overlaps, in a normal direction of the substrate, one electrode belonging to one of the two electrode groups and one electrode belonging to the other electrode group formed on the other substrate. 
 
     
     
       3. The display device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein, in the case where the voltage applied to the electrode groups is switched from the reference voltage to the specific voltage, the control unit applies a voltage at a level between the reference voltage and the specific voltage at least once. 
 
     
     
       4. The display device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein, in the case where the voltage applied to the electrode groups is switched from the specific voltage to the reference voltage, the control unit applies a voltage at a level between the reference voltage and the specific voltage at least once. 
 
     
     
       5. The display device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the image separation unit further includes a temperature sensor that detects an ambient temperature of the display panel, and 
 the control unit changes a duration of a period in which the voltage is switched from the reference voltage to the specific voltage according to a result of detection by the temperature sensor. 
 
     
     
       6. The display device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the specific voltage and the reference voltage are alternating-current voltages having phases opposite to each other. 
 
     
     
       7. The display device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the reference voltage is at a constant level, and the specific voltage is an alternating-current voltage. 
 
     
     
       8. The display device according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the display unit includes a display panel having a display area on which a plurality of pixels used for displaying the synthetic image are formed. 
 
     
     
       9. The display device according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein the display panel is a transparent liquid crystal panel.